Australian company Smiggle at Foyleside

Smiggle will be opening a new shop in Derry next week. (photo: Andy Barnham)

Published:16:13Wednesday 24 May 2017

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Australian stationery retailer Smiggle is set to open its first Northern Ireland store in Derry next week.

The company is creating eight jobs at its new Foyleside Shopping Centre shop in the city.

The first store in Ireland was opened recently in Dundrum and there are now plans to open a number of further shops throughout this year.

A spokesperson for Smiggle said the company is dedicated to creating original, fun products.

Speaking ahead of the opening of the new store in Derry, Managing Director of the Smiggle company, John Cheston, said:

“Smiggle arrived in the UK in 2014 and it has been very much part of our plans to continue our global expansion into Ireland.

“There really is nothing like Smiggle anywhere else on the high street – and it will be great to see the public’s reaction when the doors open on June 2.

“It’s important for us to inject fun into everything we do. From product design to store design, we will always focus on delivering to our fans the most original and playful stationery experience possible.”

The first Smiggle store opened in Melbourne 14 years ago and the company has since opened stores across Australia and New Zealand.

In 2011 Smiggle opened stores in Singapore, followed in 2014 by new stores in the UK, and last year in Malaysia as well as Hong Kong.